From Our Desk

Importance of motivation in kids

Motivation refers to the desire, need or drive in students towards learning as well as all aspects of their lives. Motivating children in the early stages of their childhood, helps young minds learn to take on more responsibility and indulge in more creative and varied learning throughout their life. Motivation plays a crucial role in a child's development and overall well-being. It is thus a key component in a child’s development both at home and in school since it is the driving force which helps them to act and successfully complete any given task. It is important for a child’s parents, teachers and other caregivers to understand the level of motivation of the youngster and accordingly guide them in their areas of interest. 

Motivation helps children build their self-esteem in various areas. Reminding them, that they can attain success even when they are yet to start working on a particular task and having a positive outlook spurs confidence in them like no other. 

Swapnali Medhekar

Center Head

Kanakia Kids

Nursery

English 

Learners had the opportunity to practice tracing the letters 'a', 'c', and 'u' on an art sheet using crayons, which is a hands-on approach to learning. Introducing the phonic sounds along with associated pictures is a great way to reinforce letter recognition and phonics.

The activity involving making an umbrella using a paper plate and pipe cleaners is a creative and interactive way to reinforce the letter 'u'. It combines fine motor skills with letter recognition, making the learning experience more memorable and enjoyable.

Math

Introducing numbers and colours through hands-on activities with concrete objects is an effective way to facilitate understanding, especially for young learners. Using popsicles to form the number 4 provided a tactile experience, helping learners associate the shape of the number with a physical object. The sorting activity with pom-pom balls not only helped with colour recognition but also enhanced fine motor skills through the use of the plucker. This activity also encouraged cognitive skills like sorting and categorization.

Tracing the number 1 was good practice for developing fine motor skills and helped learners become familiar with the shape of the numeral. 

Jr.Kg

English

During the English session, a recapitulation activity was conducted. The learners had to roll the dice and say the sound. The letter 'u' activity involving sponge dabbing on an umbrella and then adding handles and dots with a marker is a creative and hands-on approach to learning. It allows the learners to not only practice writing the letter but also reinforces fine motor skills and creativity. 

Math

A recapitulation assignment was done during the Math session where learners wrote down "before numbers" in their worksheet book, which was an effective way to reinforce this concept.

Recapitulation of the concept of "top and bottom" is also important for spatial awareness. Conducting an activity to reinforce this concept further helped solidify the understanding.

The assignment where learners were asked to colour objects that are pink in colour not only reinforced colour recognition but also provided a fun and interactive way to engage with the material.

Theme

This week was a well-rounded session that covered a range of festivals, allowing learners to gain a broad cultural understanding.

A recap of the topic of festivals is important for reinforcing previous knowledge and preparing for new information. The activity where learners sorted things related to both Diwali and Halloween is an excellent way to compare and contrast these two diverse festivals, helping learners appreciate the cultural differences.

The teacher introduced the Christmas festival along with a rhyme was a great way to transition into a new topic.

Sr.Kg

English

Literacy Centre Activity with Flash Cards and magic letter /e/ was conducted. This was an interactive and hands-on approach to reinforce reading skills. Adding the Magic Letter /e/ to a three-letter word to get a new word helps learners understand the concept of how it changes the pronunciation and meaning of a word. 

Learners were given a set of pictures. Alongside, the teacher had labels or cards with different categories. The teacher instructed the learners to examine each picture and determine which category it belongs to based on its name. Learners sorted the pictures into the corresponding categories by placing them under the respective labels. 

Math

This week's Math session incorporated both hands-on activities and visual learning. Activity at the numeracy centre was conducted to reinforce the concept of greater than and lesser to ensure that learners grasp this fundamental concept in mathematics. 

Introducing addition with concrete objects is a great approach as it provides a tangible representation of the concept. This helps learners build a strong foundation before moving on to more abstract concepts.

Theme

Introducing the theme of a Movie Theatre was a fantastic way to engage learners and make the learning experience more interactive and enjoyable. Creating a simulated cinema hall scenario allowed learners to immerse themselves in the theme and gain a better understanding of the concept. It also provided an opportunity for them to socialize and enjoy the experience with their friends. The addition of popcorn further enhanced the experience and added an element of authenticity to the simulation.

The role-play session was incredibly entertaining and educational for the learners. Dressing up as circus artists like magicians, acrobats, trapeze artists, jugglers, and clowns allowed them to step into the shoes of these characters, fostering creativity and imagination.

Having the learners speak a few lines about their chosen circus role not only encouraged public speaking and communication skills but also helped them learn about the different roles and acts within a circus.

Overall, this session likely provided a dynamic and interactive learning experience that engaged the learners in a fun and memorable way.

Zumba 

Our learners enthusiastically embraced the world of Zumba. This energetic dance fitness program took our little ones on a thrilling journey of rhythm and movement. Their faces lit up with joy as they grooved to catchy beats, developing coordination and a love for fitness. Zumba for our preschoolers was a dynamic and fun adventure that left lasting smiles on their faces.

They also danced to the song "Welcome to the Party" and incorporated breakdown methods and brain break actions."

Art

Exploring and understanding texture in art is a wonderful way to engage learners' senses and enhance their artistic abilities. Comparing different materials and their textures, like rough, smooth, bumpy, or soft, helps learners develop a deeper appreciation for the physical aspects of art. It also encouraged them to think critically about how to recreate these textures in their own work.

Learners explored textures in their surroundings which was a hands-on and interactive approach to learning. It encouraged observation and creativity.

STREAM

During STREAM session Nursery learners completed the flower pounding activity by making beautiful cards  learners decorated the cards using the flower pounding.

During STREAM session Jr kg learners learned about what are different animal habitats. Teacher explained the topic by using diaromas of different habitats. Learners were able to understand that different animals need different environments to survive , they were asked to place the animals toys in their respective habitats.

During the STREAM session Sr kg learners learned about how to take off the animal habitats. The teacher explained to the learners that we should keep our surroundings and environment clean and it is our responsibility to take care and protect the animal habitats so that they can survive. Learners were able to understand and they explained the same by drawing a picture related to how they will take care of their habitats.

Literacy circle 

Literacy is not just about reading—it's a journey of exploration, imagination, and language development.

This week's along with the reading, a PPT as a recap on the story My Lost Bear was done. Later BME story map chart by drawing the beginning, middle and end parts of the story was done to help learners to keep track of the story structure.

This allowed our little learners to seek out information, explore subjects in-depth and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Having learners narrate the story based on their drawings from the previous class was a great way to promote creativity and storytelling skills. It encouraged them to express themselves through both visual art and verbal communication.

Using phonics to reinforce the story was an effective technique for developing reading skills. Asking learners to circle the letters with the phonics sound was a hands-on activity that engaged them in identifying and recognizing specific sounds within the text.

Event- Khadi Week

Khadi Week is an annual celebration in India that pays homage to Khadi, a fabric deeply entwined with the country's history and culture. This week our learners celebrated Khadi week. The teacher explained its significance and importance, charkha making activities and Puppet show to understand the importance of Khadi conducted by the learners from  3rd October 2023 till 10th October 2023 during school hours. The primary objective of Khadi Week is to promote awareness and appreciation of Khadi, and to educate people about its historical, cultural, and economic significance. It also aims to celebrate the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, who championed Khadi as a symbol of self-reliance and independence during the Indian freedom struggle.